S.C Newland - Writer

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was first published on this day, 19th December, 1843. It follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a miser who despises Christmas and human warmth. On Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghost of his dead partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him to change. Three spirits then guide Scrooge through his past, present, and possible future, revealing the consequences of his greed and the humanity he has long denied. Witnessing joy, hardship, and his own lonely fate, Scrooge undergoes a profound transformation. By Christmas morning, he embraces generosity, compassion, and community, becoming a symbol of redemption and renewed hope. His Writing Process  Manuscripts show Dickens worked with meticulous care , revising heavily to shape a tightly structured narrative. He wrote A Christmas Carol as a novella quickly in late 1843, driven by both creative urgency and financial pressure. The structure, five “staves” instead of chapters, mirrors a piece of music, reinforcing th...

It's Charles Dickens birthday today. The author of so many classic works and memorable characters would have been celebrating his 213th birthday. My personal favourites: 1. A Christmas Carol - What a character Scrooge is, the definitive miser. And set at Christmas, the original classic. Those ghosts - who is your favourite? My favourite line is Jacob Marley's: "I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the Ghost. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it." 2. Great Expectations - Wow, what a ride. From Pip to Estella to Miss Havisham and Magwitch. Here's a brilliant line: "You must know," said Estella, condescending to me as a brilliant and beautiful woman might, "that I have no heart—if that has anything to do with my memory." There ought to be a Dickens Day. Oh, there is, a few weeks before Christmas Tavistock, celebrates Dickensian Night. I wonder what the old...